The Importance of ICT: An Empirical Study in Swiss SMEs

The following paper presents results from a longitudinal study about the importance and use of information and communication technology in Swiss small and medium-sized companies. In an empirical survey, 989 questionnaires were collected and analysed (return rate 17 %). The results were weighted according to company size and industry sector and are thus representative for Switzerland. The findings show that Swiss SMEs – in their self assessment – manage to gain (competitive) advantages from the deployment of information and communication technology. ICT is universally used (even) in (small and medium-sized) companies. There is a high degree of inter-organisational ICT use. ICT know-how and awareness are strongly rooted in management. The general conclusion is that IT matters for Swiss SMEs

Technology adoption in small and medium-sized logistics providers

Purpose - The main aim of the research is to shed light on the role of information and communication technology (ICT) in the logistics innovation process of small and medium-sized third party logistics providers (3PLs). Design/methodology/approach - A triangulated research strategy was designed using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods. The former involved the use of a questionnaire survey of small and medium-sized Italian 3PLs with 153 usable responses received. The latter comprised a series of focus groups and the use of seven case studies. Findings - There is a relatively low level of ICT expenditure with few companies adopting formal technology investment strategies. The findings highlight the strategic importance of supply chain integration for 3PLs with companies that have embarked on an expansion of their service portfolios showing a higher level of both ICT usage and information integration. Lack of technology skills in the workforce is a major constraint on ICT adoption. Given the proliferation of logistics-related ICT tools and applications in recent years it has been difficult for small and medium-sized 3PLs to select appropriate applications. Research limitations/implications - The paper provides practical guidelines to researchers in the effective use of mixed-methods research based on the concept of methodological triangulation. In particular, it shows how questionnaire surveys, focus groups and case study analysis can be used in combination to provide insights into multi-faceted supply chain phenomena. It also identifies several potentially fruitful avenues for future research in this specific field. Practical implications - The paper's findings provide useful guidance for practitioners on the effective adoption of ICT as part of the logistics innovation process. The findings also provide support for ICT vendors in the design of ICT solutions that are aligned to the needs of small 3PLs. Originality/value - There is currently a paucity of research into the drivers and inhibitors of ICT in the innovation processes of small and medium-sized 3PLs. This paper fills this gap by exploring the issue using a range of complementary research approaches

Information technology governance in small and medium enterprises - a systematic mapping

Information Technology (IT) governance in small and medium-sized businesses is a subject that still requires more effort. Many of the studies that deal with this subject refer to large companies. IT governance structures, originally developed for the context of large enterprises such as COBIT, ISO/IEC 35800 or ITIL, when applied to the context of small and medium enterprises, lead to undesirable results and failures in the deployment process. The objective of this work was to perform a systematic mapping on IT governance in small and medium enterprises between 2007 and 2017. Systematic mapping studies are useful for categorizing and summarizing the existing information concerning a research question in an unbiased manner. Thus, from an initial set of 63 papers, a total of 17 research papers were selected for the mapping study. The results obtained allowed us to reach conclusions concerning the state-of-the-art of IT governance mechanisms, theories applied in the context and the consequences of IT governance. From the results of this study it was possible to perceive the low use of relational mechanisms of IT governance in the studied context, the constant need to adapt frameworks such as COBIT and ITIL, so that they can adapt to the reality of SMEs, the wide variety of theoretical approaches and the importance, for SMEs, of the concept of IT value for the business

How is web design related to sales? The relationship between sales and web design within Amazon.com

Internship Report presented as the partial requirement for obtaining a Master's degree in Information Management, specialization in Marketing IntelligenceThe development of technology has caused significant changes in the business environment and the management of companies, and business competitiveness has become an increasingly important factor. Thus, companies must capture consumers' attention and convince them to buy. Therefore, it is necessary to understand how small and medium-sized businesses can differentiate themselves in an extensive medium like the Internet. This study aims to delve into the importance of web design according to the four defined elements - image, text, color, and video - on the Amazon website. An interview was conducted with thirty regular Amazon.com consumers to understand their behavior. The results provided an understanding of consumer perception and feelings about web design through data categorization and in-depth analysis. The results reveal that consumers question several factors before buying, such as the credibility and trustworthiness they have for the brand, which is influenced by its web design. Therefore, brands need to use the four pre-defined elements to positively influence consumers at the time of purchase and segment their audience to understand the type of consumer and, consequently, each element's impact

The use of social media in portuguese companies: Empirical study with SMEs protocolated with ESTGA-UA

In the last five years, portuguese government policies and european guidelines have been reinforcing the promotion of strategies that foster innovation, access to the digital market and the creation of conditions to optimize the growth potential of companies in the digital context. Digital innovation is inevitably contributing to accelerate the change of organizations in terms of business models, but also of communication and professional skills required. The way that information has been shared and received has changed the way that companies work and communicate. This is why a significant number of companies, particularly small and medium sized companies, at the time of recruiting they value the skills to use communication tools and digital technologies that enable to create and share content, including more Social Media – like Facebook, Youtube, Instagram, Twitter or Linkedin. In Europe, it is expected that 16 million new jobs will be created by 2020 which will require information and technology (IT) skills. In Portugal, according to the Minister of Education, in 2030, about 80% of the population will have digital skills and 8% will be specialists in information and communication technologies. This reality demands a work of joint reinforcement and partnership between the companies and educational establishments responsible for the training of young professionals in all areas. This evidence and necessity justify the present study whose data were obtained through the administration of an online questionnaire survey to a sample (N=89) of Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) protocols with the Águeda School of Technology and Management – University of Aveiro (ESTGA-UA), in Portugal, within the scope of the curricular internships of the Degree in Retail Management and the Higher Education Training Course (TESP) in SME Management. The study aims to make a diagnosis that allows to know the reality and to draw the digital picture of these companies and tries to verify how these SMEs are responding to the challenges of digital communication in three dimensions: to identify the social media used and the importance attributed to it; assess whether SMEs have a strategy for managing and producing digital content; and identify the profile of the person responsible for the production/management of these contents. The results show that SMEs use social media to communicate, although they do not have a defined communication strategy and the focus of communication is too focused on the company and its products/services. Moreover, even though they recognize the excellent oral and written knowledge of the language as an essential requirement for content production, this task is carried out in many cases by internal workers without specific training and who add this function to others. It is intended that this study contribute to a reflection on the higher education provided and its suitability to the needs of these companies in an increasingly global and digital economy.publishe

Um Guia de Implementação

A presente proposta de dissertação tem como propósito criar um guia de implementação de sistemas de informação para as pequenas e médias empresas que se adequam ao contexto atual da realidade angolana. Mostrar também a importância deste guia, já que, nas maiorias das vezes, as pequenas e médias empresas usam os sistemas de informação limitando-se apenas ao apoio da infraestrutura informática, e podem ter dificuldades em saber quando investir e onde, com quem falar, o que é possível fazer e garantir o retorno ao usarem o SI para analise e participação na estratégia de negócio. Visto que o investimento em mão de obra interna pode se mostrar insensato e recorrer a grandes consultoras é bastante dispendioso para as PMEs de Angola. A maioria das pequenas e médias empresas, por definirem o lucro como principal objetivo a ser atingido, precisam tirar partida da implementação dos sistemas de informação por motivos já apresentados no parágrafo acima. As pequenas e médias empresas em Angola carecem de um guia que lhes permite conduzir a implementação de forma segura e prudente os sistemas de informação. Com o projeto pretende-se elaborar um guia de implementação de sistemas de informação, adequado as características das pequenas e médias empresas angolanas, permitindo também otimizar os processos, analisar e definir melhores estratégias e fundamentalmente fazer um alinhamento entre a tecnologia e o negócio. Pretende-se que este trabalho seja um guia a utilizar pelas PMEs, uma vez que operam num ambiente muito competitivo e dinâmico, o que lhes exige uma atuação constante e ponderada com a utilização dos SI.The purpose of this dissertation proposal is to create a guide for the implementation of information systems for small and medium-sized enterprises that fit the current context of the Angolan reality. Also, show the importance of this guide, since, in most cases, small and medium-sized companies use information systems only limited to the support of the IT infrastructure, and may have difficulties in knowing when to invest and where, with whom to speak, what it is possible to do and guarantee the return when using the IS for analysis and participation in the business strategy. Since investment in domestic labour may prove foolish and resort to large consultancies is very expensive for Angolan SMEs. Most small and medium-sized enterprises, by defining profit as the main objective to be achieved, need to take departure from the implementation of the information systems for reasons already presented in the paragraph above. Small and medium-sized enterprises in Angola lack a guide that allows them to conduct the safe and prudent implementation of information systems. The project intends to elaborate a guide for the implementation of information systems, adequate to the characteristics of small and medium Angolan companies, also allowing optimizing processes, analyse and define better strategies and fundamentally to make an alignment between technology and business. It is intended that this work be a guide to be used by SMEs, since they operate in a very competitive and dynamic environment, which requires them to act constantly and weighted with the use of IS

International business networks through social media : case study of a cleantech SME

The extensive use of digital technology, especially social media have fundamentally transformed the way we communicate, collaborate, consume, create, and share information. Social media are no longer platform used by individuals and consumers but also used by big, medium- as well as small-sized companies worldwide. Social media are nowadays a part of companies internationalization strategy because it allows companies to perform several business functions. However, there is a lack of research on understanding how SMEs can utilize social media in internationalization. Thus the objective of this research is to explore the importance of SM in SMEs' internationalization process. More specifically, the objective of the thesis is to examine how social media can be used as a network building channel or tool in SME's internationalization process. The objectives of the research will be achieved through an intensive single case study research of an international cleantech Finnish SME. The empirical research was conducted through semi-structured interviews. Altogether seven semi-structured interviews were conducted in the case company in December 2019. The interviewees consisted of managers and employees. An inductive approach was adopted in the research, and the data were analyzed based on the thematic analysis. The study reveals that social media can be used as a supportive tool for SMEs to build and maintain international business networks. Also, the research reveals that there are three different mechanisms, which show in practical how social media enable SMEs to build new international business networks and what these, in turn, bring to the SME. Based on the findings, a model was created that combines both the micro and macro levels of a company. The results of the study, as well as the model developed, will help SMEs to use social media more effectively for maintaining and forming international network relations

SMEs and virtual R&D teams: a motive channel for relationship between SMEs

In today?s dynamic marketplace, manufacturing companies are under strong pressure to introduce new products for long-term survival with their competitors. Nevertheless, every company cannot cope up progressively or immediately with the market requirements due to knowledge dynamics being experienced in the competitive milieu. Increased competition and reduced product life cycles put force upon companies to develop new products faster. In response to these pressing needs, there should be some new approach compatible in flexible circumstances. This paper presents a solution based on the popular Stage-Gate system, which is closely linked with virtual team approach. Virtual teams can provide a platform to advance the knowledge-base in a company and thus to reduce time-to-market. This article introduces conceptual product development architecture under a virtual team umbrella. The paper describes all the major aspects of new product development (NPD), NPD process and its relationship with virtual teams, Stage-Gate system finally presents a modified Stage-Gate system to cope up with the changing needs. It also provides the guidelines for the successful implementation of virtual teams in new product development